Cloning and characterization of a human adenylyl cyclase

ABSTRACT

A DNA sequence encoding a human adenylyl cyclase is described. The amino acid sequence of the adenylyl cyclase is also described.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to DNA encoding a human adenylyl cyclase. This invention also relates to the adenylyl cyclase encoded by that DNA. Referred to herein as the human type VI adenylyl cyclase (hAC6) polypeptide, this enzyme can be used as a tool to screen for agonists and antagonists that can either stimulate or inhibit type VI adenylyl cyclase activity. Such compounds have therapeutic utility in treating (1) diseases that are caused by aberrant activity of this enzyme and (2) diseases whose symptoms can be ameliorated by stimulating or inhibiting the activity of type VI adenylyl cyclase.

[0002] The present invention also relates to the isolated entire human gene encoding the human type VI adenylyl cyclase, methods for the recombinant production of purified human type VI adenylyl cyclase and the proteins made by these methods, antibodies against the whole human type VI adenylyl cyclase or regions thereof, vectors, nucleotide probes, and host cells transformed by genes encoding polypeptides having human type VI adenylyl cyclase activity, along with diagnostic and therapeutic uses for these various reagents.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Adenylyl cyclases direct the intracellular synthesis of the primary second messenger, cyclic-3′, 5′-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), by converting ATP to cAMP, principally in response to a diverse family of membrane spanning, G-protein coupled receptors, each activated by its own extracellular hormone or protease. Signal transduction for G-protein coupled receptors occurs through a coupled heterotrimeric G protein complex composed of the alpha (G_(α)), and beta/gamma (G_(βγ)) subunits. Upon receptor stimulation, G_(α) exchanges GTP for GDP, dissociates from both G_(βγ) and the receptor, and proceeds to directly regulate various effectors, including adenylyl cyclase. Multiple families of G_(α) proteins have been identified, two of which are named for their effects on regulating adenylyl cyclase activity (G_(αs) family stimulates all adenylyl cyclases, while G_(αi) family inhibits most but not all of the adenylyl cyclases). Each of these G_(α) proteins has its own tissue distribution, and subset of coupled receptors, which favors receptor specific regulation of adenylyl cyclase.

[0004] Additional studies have suggested other means by which adenylyl cyclase activity may be regulated within tissues. This concept is derived from findings that a number of adenylyl cyclase isoforms exist, each with their own gene locus, distinct set of responses to intracellular signals and unique tissue distribution. To date, nine separate isoforms (Types I-IX) have been characterized, principally from rodents, each with its own regulatory properties and tissue specific distribution.

[0005] The structure of adenylyl cyclases has been greatly studied and the putative domains given standard nomenclature. Topographically, the adenylyl cyclase isoforms are similar, having two six-transmembrane spanning regions associated with an intracellular N-terminus, a large cytoplasmic loop (ICD III, more commonly referred to as “C₁”) and an intracellular C-terminus (more commonly referred to as “C₂”). The transmembrane region between the N-terminus and the C₁ loop is commonly referred to as “M1”. The M1 region has three extracellular domains (ECD I, II and III), two intracellular domains (ICD I and II) and six transmembrane domains (TM I, II, III, IV, V and VI). The region between the C₁ loop and the C-terminus is referred to as “M2”. The M2 region has three extracellular domains (ECD IV, V and VI), two intracellular domains (ICD IV and V) and six transmembrane domains (TM VII, VIII, IX, X, XI and XII). The N-terminus is commonly divided into two regions, designated “N₁” and “N₂”. The large C₁ cytoplasmic loop is also divided into two regions, a long “C_(1a)” region and a shorter “C_(1b)” region. Lastly, the C-terminus is divided into a long “C_(2a)” region and a shorter “C_(2b)” region. An extensive discussion of these regions can be found in Broach, et al., WO 95/30012, which is incorporated herein by reference. The amino acid sequence of the C_(1a) and C_(2a) regions are conserved among the different isoforms. On the other hand, the N-terminus, C_(1b) and C_(2b) regions show the most diversity among the various isoforms.

[0006] Based on sequence and functional similarities, these isoforms fall into six distinct classes of adenylyl cyclases. Type VI is in the same class as type V, showing sequence similarity even in the transmembrane regions where the greatest level of divergence is noted among the isoforms. Type V is predominantly expressed in heart and brain tissue. Type VI has a somewhat broader distribution, but its dominant expression is also in heart and brain tissue. Type VI, like type V, has a relatively longer N-terminus and relatively shorter C-terminus, lacking the C_(2b) region, than the other isoforms.

[0007] Diversity in activities, and differences in distribution and prevalence of adenylyl cyclase isoforms, may contribute to tissue specific regulation of cAMP levels. It is expected that by taking advantage of distinct structural and biochemical differences between different adenylyl cyclases, isoform specific or selective modulators can be discovered. This, in conjunction with knowledge of the proportion and distribution of each isoform in select tissues provides a means by which one can develop either tissue specific, or selective pharmacological agents since it is expected that isoform specific modulators would have tissue specificity related to the distribution of that isoform.

[0008] Key to the development of selective pharmacological agents is information pertaining to the tissue specific distribution and prevalence of each isoform. To date most of this information is available for isoform mRNA levels in a handful of non-human mammals, although some select mRNA (e.g. Type V) have been measured for many human tissues. Acquiring information on protein isoform distribution in human tissues is considered an important aspect of pharmaceutical research in this area, since this could either strengthen existing target information or point to different isoforms, when compared with mRNA data.

[0009] To date, only three full length human adenylyl cyclase isoforms have been cloned: Type II adenylyl cyclase (Stengel, et al., Hum. Genet. 90:126-130 (1992)), Type VII adenylyl cyclase (Nomura, et al., DNA Research 1:27-35 (1994)) and Type VIII adenylyl cyclase (Defer, et al., FEBS Letters 351:109-113 (1994)).

[0010] Type VI has been cloned from mouse NCB-20 cells (Yoshimura, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:6716-6720 (1992) ) and canine heart (Katsushika, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:8774-8778 (1992) and Ishikawa, U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,521). The human isoform has not been cloned until now.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] One aspect of the invention is an isolated and purified human type VI adenylyl cyclase (hAC6) polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 2).

[0012] Another aspect of the invention is an isolated and purified nucleic acid encoding for the hAC6 polypeptide.

[0013] Yet another aspect of the invention is an isolated and purified nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1), which encodes a biologically active hAC6 polypeptide, or fragment thereof.

[0014] Still another aspect of the invention is an isolated and purified nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1), which encodes a biologically active soluble hAC6 peptide fragment.

[0015] Another aspect of the present invention also relates to the human gene encoding human type VI adenylyl cyclase, which has both diagnostic and therapeutic uses as are described below. Included within this invention are proteins or peptides having substantial homology with proteins or peptides comprising the amino acid sequence of FIG. 1 or encoded by a gene having substantial homology with the nucleotide sequence of FIG. 1, and which exhibit the same characteristics of human type VI adenylyl cyclase.

[0016] Yet another aspect of the invention is a method of producing hAC6 which comprises incorporating a nucleic acid having the nucleotide sequence of FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) into an expression vector, transforming a host cell with the vector and culturing the transformed host cell under conditions which result in expression of the gene.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017]FIG. 1(A-I) is the DNA (SEQ ID NO: 1) and deduced amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 2) of human type VI adenylyl cyclase. The entire coding sequence, as well as portions of the 5′ and 3′ untranslated sequences, are shown. The whole sequence was done bidirectionally twice by dideoxy sequencing method using Taq polymerase.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Definitions

[0018] Before proceeding further with a description of the specific embodiments of the present invention, a number of terms will be defined:

[0019] The terms “substantially pure” and “isolated” are used herein to describe a protein that has been separated from the native contaminants or components that naturally accompany it. Typically, a monomeric protein is substantially pure when at least about 60 to 70% of a sample exhibits a single polypeptide backbone. Minor variants or chemical modifications typically share approximately the same polypeptide sequence. A substantially pure protein will typically comprise over about 85 to 90% of a protein sample, preferably will comprise at least about 95%, and more preferably will be over about 99% pure. Purity is typically measured on a polyacrylamide gel, with homogeneity determined by staining. For certain purposes, high resolution will be desired and HPLC or a similar means for purification utilized. However, for most purposes, a simple chromatography column or polyacrylamide gel will be used to determine purity. Whether soluble or membrane bound, the present invention provides for substantially pure preparations. Various methods for their isolation from biological material may be devised, based in part upon the structural and functional descriptions contained herein. In addition, a protein that is chemically synthesized or synthesized in a cellular system that is different from the cell from which it naturally originates, will be substantially pure. The term is also used to describe proteins and nucleic acids that have been synthesized in heterologous mammalian cells, bacterial cells such as E. coli and other prokaryotes.

[0020] As used herein, the terms “hybridization” (hybridizing) and “specificity” (specific for) in the context of nucleotide sequences are used interchangeably. The ability of two nucleotide sequences to hybridize to each other is based upon a degree of complementarity of the two nucleotide sequences, which in turn is based on the fraction of matched complementary nucleotide pairs. The more nucleotides in a given sequence that are complementary to another sequence, the greater the degree of hybridization of one to the other. The degree of hybridization also depends on the conditions of stringency which include temperature, solvent ratios, salt concentrations, and the like. In particular, “selective hybridization” pertains to conditions in which the degree of hybridization of a polynucleotide of the invention to its target would require complete or nearly complete complementarity. The complementarity must be sufficiently high so as to assure that the polynucleotide of the invention will bind specifically to the target relative to binding other nucleic acids present in the hybridization medium. With selective hybridization, complementarity will be 90-100%, preferably 95-100%, more preferably 100%.

[0021] “Stringent conditions” are those that (1) employ low ionic strength and high temperature for washing, for example, 0.015 M NaCl/0.0015 M sodium titrate/0.1% NaDodSO₄ at 50° C., or (2) employ during hybridization a denaturing agent such as formamide, for example, 50% (vol/vol) formamide with 0.1% bovine serum albumin (“BSA”)/0.1% Ficoll/0.1% polyvinylpyrrolidone/50 mM sodium phosphate buffer at pH 6.5 with 750 mM NaCl, 75 mM sodium citrate at 42° C. Another example is use of 50% formamide, 5×0.75 M NaCl and 0.075 M sodium citrate (“SSC”), 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH 6.8), 0.1% sodium pyrophosphate, 5×Denhardt's solution, sonicated salmon sperm DNA (50 mg/ml), 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (“SDS”), and 10% dextran sulfate at 42° C., with washes at 42° C. in 0.2×SSC and 0.1% SDS.

[0022] “Isolated” nucleic acid will be nucleic acid that is identified and separated from contaminant nucleic acid encoding other polypeptides from the source of nucleic acid. The nucleic acid may be labeled for diagnostic and probe purposes, using any label known and described in the art as useful in connection with diagnostic assays.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The present invention relates to human type VI adenylyl cyclase, which is referred to herein as “hAC6”. FIG. 1 shows the DNA sequence of the clone encoding the hAC6 polypeptide along with the deduced amino acid sequence. As used herein, the terms “hAC6 polypeptide” or “hAC6 enzyme” refer to any adenylyl cyclase sharing a common biological activity with the human type VI adenylyl cyclase contained in the clone described in Example 1. This “common biological activity” includes but is not limited to an effector function or cross-reactive antigenicity.

[0024] As indicated above, type VI adenylyl cyclase is in the same isoform class as type VI, being expressed mainly in the heart and brain. As with the other known isoforms, type VI adenylyl cyclase has a similar putative structure: six extracellular domains; five intracellular domains, four small ones and a large cytoplasmic loop; and intracellular amino and carboxy termini.

[0025] However, type VI adenylyl cyclase, like type V, is distinguishable over other adenylyl cyclase isoforms in that it has a larger N-terminus and a relatively shorter C-terminus as it lacks the C_(2b) region. In the other mammalian isoforms (types I-V and VII-IX), much of the membrane associated secondary structure is well conserved. Certain portions of the hAC6 polypeptide are similarly conserved.

[0026] The scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact sequence of the hAC6 cDNA set forth in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1), or the use thereof. The invention contemplates certain modifications to the sequence, including deletions, insertions, and substitutions, such as are well known to those skilled in the art. For example, the invention contemplates replacing one or more codons in the cDNA sequence of FIG. 1, with codons that encode amino acids that are chemically equivalent to the amino acids in the native protein. Chemical equivalency is determined, for example, by one or more of the following characteristics: hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity, charge, size, whether the residue is cyclic or non-cyclic, aromatic or non-aromatic. So, for example, a codon encoding a neutral polar amino acid can be substituted with another codon that encodes a neutral polar residue, with the reasonable expectation of producing a biologically equivalent product.

[0027] Amino acid residues can be generally classified into four groups. Acidic residues are hydrophilic and have a negative charge due to loss of H⁺ at physiological pH. Basic residues are also hydrophilic but have a positive charge due to association with H⁺ at physiological pH. Neutral nonpolar residues are hydrophobic and are not charged at physiological pH. Neutral polar residues are hydrophilic and are not charged at physiological pH. Amino acid residues can be further classified as cyclic or noncyclic, and aromatic or nonaromatic, self-explanatory classifications with respect to the side chain substituent groups of the residues, and as small or large. The residue is considered small if it contains a total of 4 carbon atoms or less, inclusive of the carboxyl carbon. Small residues are, of course, always nonaromatic.

[0028] Of the naturally occurring amino acids, aspartic acid and glutamic acid are acidic; arginine and lysine are basic and noncyclic; histidine is basic and cyclic; glycine, serine and cysteine are neutral, polar and small; alanine is neutral, nonpolar and small; threonine, asparagine and glutamine are neutral, polar, large and nonaromatic; tyrosine is neutral, polar, large and aromatic; valine, isoleucine, leucine and methionine are neutral, nonpolar, large and nonaromatic; and phenylalanine and tryptophan are neutral, nonpolar, large and aromatic. Proline, although technically neutral, nonpolar, large, cyclic and nonaromatic, is a special case due to its known effects on the secondary conformation of peptide chains, and is not, therefore, included in this defined group.

[0029] There are also commonly encountered amino acids, which are not encoded by the genetic code. These include, by way of example and not limitation: sarcosine, beta-alanine, 2,3-diamino propionic and alpha-aminisobutyric acid which are neutral, nonpolar and small; t-butylalanine, t-butylglycine, N-methylisoleucine, norleucine and cyclohexylalanine which are neutral, nonpolar, large and nonaromatic; ornithine which is basic and noncyclic; cysteic acid which is acidic; citrulline, acetyl lysine, and methionine sulfoxide which are neutral, polar, large and nonaromatic; and phenylglycine, 2-naphthylalanine, β-2-thienylalanine and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid which are neutral, nonpolar, large and aromatic.

[0030] Ordinarily, the hAC6 polypeptide claimed herein will have an overall amino acid sequence having at least 75% amino acid sequence identity with the hAC6 sequence disclosed in FIG. 1, more preferably at least 80%, even more preferably at least 90%, and most preferably at least 95%. More particularly, the N-terminus, C1b and C2b regions of the hAC6 polypeptide or polypeptide fragment claimed herein, will have an amino acid sequence having at least 90%, and most preferably at least 95% amino acid sequence identity with the hAC6 sequence disclosed in FIG. 1. Identity or homology with a sequence is defined herein as the percentage of amino acid residues in the candidate sequence that are identical with the sequence of the hAC6 polypeptide, after aligning the sequences and introducing gaps, if necessary, to achieve the maximum percent homology, and not considering any conservative substitutions as part of the sequence identity. N-terminal, C-terminal or internal extensions, deletions, or insertions of the hAC6 sequence shall be construed as affecting homology.

[0031] Thus, the claimed hAC6 polypeptide that is the subject of this invention includes molecules having the hAC6 amino acid sequence; fragments thereof having a consecutive sequence of at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 or 40 amino acid residues from the hAC6 sequence of FIG. 1, which exhibits the hAC6 polypeptide characteristics; amino acid sequence variants of the hAC6 sequence of FIG. 1 wherein an amino acid residue has been inserted N- or C-terminal to, or within, (including parallel deletions) the hAC6 sequence or its fragments as defined above; amino acid sequence variants of the hAC6 sequence of FIG. 1 or its fragments as defined above which have been substituted by at least one residue, and which exhibit the hAC6 polypeptide characteristics. Of particular interest are those peptides corresponding to those regions where the hAC6 polypeptide is divergent from types I-V and VII-IX.

[0032] Human type VI adenylyl cyclase polypeptides include those containing predetermined mutations by, e.g., homologous recombination, site-directed or PCR mutagenesis; naturally occurring variants of the hAC6 polypeptide; derivatives of the hAC6 polypeptide or its fragments wherein the hAC6 or its fragments have been covalently modified by substitution, chemical, enzymatic, or other appropriate means with a moiety other than a naturally occurring amino acid (for example a detectable moiety such as an enzyme or radioisotope); glycosylation variants of the hAC6 (insertion of a glycosylation site or deletion of any glycosylation site by deletion, insertion or substitution of appropriate amino acid); and soluble forms of the hAC6 polypeptide or fragments thereof. This invention also includes tagging the hAC6 polypeptide, for example, for use in a diagnostic application. Types and methods of tagging are well known in the art, for example, the use of hexa-histidine tags.

[0033] Several regions of the Type VI isoform are highly conserved with the other adenylyl cyclase isoforms. Accordingly, it is believed that most sequence modifications to the highly conserved regions such as the extracellular domains, transmembrane regions and short intracellular domains, including deletions and insertions, and substitutions in particular, are not expected to produce radical changes in the characteristics of the hAC6 polypeptide, distinct from those found with similar changes to other isoforms. However, when it is difficult to predict the exact effect of the sequence modification in advance of making the change, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the effect of any sequence modification will be evaluated by routine screening assays.

[0034] The nomenclature used to describe the peptide compounds of the invention follows the conventional practice where the N-terminal amino group is assumed to be to the left and the carboxy group to the right of each amino acid residue in the peptide. In the formulas representing selected specific embodiments of the present invention, the amino-and carboxy-terminal groups, although often not specifically shown, will be understood to be in the form they would assume at physiological pH values, unless otherwise specified. Thus, the N-terminal H⁺ ₂ and C-terminal O⁻ at physiological pH are understood to be present though not necessarily specified and shown, either in specific examples or in generic formulas. Free functional groups on the side chains of the amino acid residues can also be modified by amidation, acylation or other substitution, which can, for example, change the solubility of the compounds without affecting their activity. All of the compounds of the invention, when an amino acid forms the C-terminus, may be in the form of the pharmaceutically acceptable salts or esters. Salts may be, for example, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca⁺², Mg⁺² and the like; the esters are generally those of alcohols of 1-6 carbons.

[0035] In all of the peptides of the invention, one or more amide linkages (—CO—NH—) may optionally be replaced with another linkage which is an isostere such as —CH₂NH—, —CH₂S—, —CH₂CH₂, —CH═CH— (cis and trans), —COCH₂—, —CH(OH)CH₂— and —CH₂SO—. This replacement can be made by methods known in the art. The following references describe preparation of peptide analogs which include these alternative-linking moieties: Spatola, Vega Data 1(3) “Peptide Backbone Modifications” (general review) (March 1983); Spatola, in “Chemistry and Biochemistry of Amino Acids Peptides and Proteins,” B. Weinstein, eds., Marcel Dekker, New York, p. 267 (1983) (general review); Morley, J. S., Trends Pharm Sci, pp. 463-468 (general review) (1980); Hudson, et al., Int J Pept Prot Res 14:177-185 (—CH₂NH—, —CH₂CH₂—)(1979); spatola, et al., Life Sci 38:1243-1249 (—CH₂—S) (1986); Hann, J Chem Soc Perkin Trans I 307-314 (—CH—CH—, cis and trans) (1982); Almquist, et al., J Med Chem 23:1392-1398 (—COCH₂—) (1980); Jennings-White, et al., Tetrahedron Lett 23:2533 (—COCH₂—) (1982); Szelke, et al., European Application EP 45665 (1982) CA:97:39405 (1982) (—CH(OH)CH₂—); Holladay, et al., Tetrahedron Lett 4:4401-4404 (—C(OH)CH₂—) (1983); and Hruby, Life Sci 31:189-199 (—CH₂—S—) (1982).

[0036] Human type VI adenylyl cyclase peptides may be purified using techniques of classical protein chemistry, such as are well known in the art. For example, a lectin affinity chromatography step may be used, followed by a highly specific ligand affinity chromatography procedure that utilizes a ligand conjugated to biotin through the cysteine residues of the ligand. Alternately, the hexa-histidine tagged hAC6 polypeptide may be purified using nickel column chromatography.

[0037] One embodiment of the invention relates to recombinant materials associated with the production of the hAC6 polypeptide. One method of producing hAC6 comprises incorporating a nucleic acid having the nucleotide sequence of FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) into an expression vector, transforming a host cell with the vector and culturing the transformed host cell under conditions which result in expression of the gene. Suitable expression vectors include pc3hAC6. Examples of host cells includes bacterial, viral, yeast, insect or mammalian cell lines. A preferred host cell is the human embryonic cell line referred to as “HEK-293”.

[0038] The invention also contemplates the use of transfected cells that can be cultured so as to display or express hAC6 on its surface, thus providing an assay system for the interaction of materials with the native hAC6 where these cells or relevant fragments of hAC6 are used as a screening tool to evaluate the effect of various candidate compounds on hAC6 activity in vivo, as is described below. Another embodiment of the invention relates to recombinant materials associated with the production of soluble hAC6 fragments. These include transfected cells, such as E. coli, that can be cultured so as to express active portions of the hAC6 polypeptide, in particular the C1 and C2 (C-terminus) intracellular loops. These soluble fragments can be purified and reconstituted to obtain enzymatic activity. This has been demonstrated with like domains from other isoforms. See Whisnant, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.: 93:6621-6625 (1996). Such soluble fragments can also be used as a screening tool to evaluate the effect of various candidate compounds on hAC6 activity. Suitable cells for transfection include bacterial cells, insect cells such as Sf-9 cells, yeast cells and most mammalian cell lines.

[0039] Recombinant production of the hAC6 polypeptide involves using a nucleic acid sequence that encodes hAC6, as is set forth in FIG. 1, or its degenerate analogs. The nucleic acid can be prepared either by retrieving the native sequence, as described below, or by using substantial portions of the known native sequence as a probe, or it can be synthesized de novo using procedures that are well known in the art.

[0040] The nucleic acid may be ligated into expression vectors suitable for the desired host and then transformed into compatible cells. Suitable vectors suitable for use in transforming bacterial cells are well known in the art. Plasmids and bacteriophages, such as lambda phage, are commonly used as vectors for bacterial hosts such as E. coli. Virus vectors are suitable for use in mammalian and insect cells for expression of exogenous DNA. Mammalian cells are readily transformed with SV40 or polyoma virus; and insect cells in culture may be transformed with baculovirus expression vectors. Suitable yeast vector systems include yeast centromere plasmids, yeast episomal plasmids and yeast integrating plasmids. Alternatively, nucleic acids may be introduced directly into a host cell by techniques such as are well known in the art.

[0041] The cells are cultured under conditions favorable for the expression of the gene encoding the hAC6 polypeptide and cells displaying hAC6 on the surface are then harvested. Suitable eukaryotic host cells include mammalian cells, plant cells, yeast cells and insect cells. Suitable prokaryotic host cells, include bacterial cells such as E. coli and Bacillus subtilis, Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, COS cells, the rat-2 fibroblast cell line, the human embryonic kidney 293 cell line, and insect cell lines such as Sf-9.

[0042] This invention also relates to nucleic acids that encode or are complementary to a hAC6 polypeptide. These nucleic acids can then be used to produce the polypeptide in recombinant cell culture for diagnostic use or for potential therapeutic use. In still other aspects, the invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding hAC6, either labeled or unlabeled, or a nucleic acid sequence that is complementary to, or hybridizes under stringent conditions to, a nucleic acid sequence encoding hAC6. The isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention excludes nucleic acid sequences which encode, or are complementary to nucleic acid sequences encoding, other known adenylyl cyclase isoforms.

[0043] This invention also provides a replicable vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding hAC6 operably linked to control sequences recognized by a host transformed by the vector; host cells transformed with the vector; and a method of using a nucleic acid molecule encoding hAC6 to effect the production of hAC6 on the cell surface or as soluble fragments, comprising expressing the nucleic acid molecule in a culture of the transformed host cells and recovered from the cells. The nucleic acid sequence is also useful in hybridization assays for hAC6-encoding nucleic acid molecules.

[0044] In still further embodiments of the invention, a method is described for producing hAC6 comprising inserting into the DNA of a cell containing the nucleic acid sequence encoding hAC6, a transcription modulatory element (such as an enhancer or a silencer) in sufficient proximity and orientation to the hAC6-coding sequence to influence transcription thereof, with an optional further step comprising culturing the cell containing the transcription modulatory element and the hAC6-encoding nucleic acid sequence.

[0045] This invention also covers a cell comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding the hAC6 polypeptide and an exogenous transcription modulatory element in sufficient proximity and orientation to the above coding sequence to influence transcription thereof and a host cell containing the nucleic acid sequence encoding hAC6 operably linked to exogenous control sequences recognized by the host cell.

[0046] This invention provides a method for obtaining cells having increased or decreased transcription of the nucleic acid molecule encoding the hAC6 polypeptide, comprising: providing cells containing the nucleic acid molecule; introducing into the cells a transcription modulating element; and screening the cells for a cell in which the transcription of the nucleic acid molecule is increased or decreased.

[0047] Human adenylyl cyclase type VI nucleic acids for use in the invention can be produced as follows. A hAC6 “nucleic acid” is defined as RNA or DNA that encodes the hAC6 polypeptide, or is complementary to nucleic acid sequence encoding hAC6, or hybridizes to such nucleic acid and remains stably bound to it under stringent conditions, or encodes a polypeptide sharing at least 75% sequence identity, preferably at least 80%, and more preferably at least 85%, with the deduced amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 1. It is typically at least about 10 nucleotides in length and preferably has hAC6 related biological or immunological activity. Specifically contemplated are genomic DNA, cDNA, mRNA and antisense molecules, as well as nucleic acids based on alternative backbone or including alternative bases whether derived from natural sources or synthesized.

[0048] Of particular interest is a hAC6 nucleic acid that encodes a full-length molecule, including but not necessarily the native signal sequence thereof. Nucleic acid encoding full-length protein is obtained by screening selected cDNA or genomic libraries using the deduced amino acid sequence disclosed herein for the first time, and, if necessary, using conventional primer extension procedures to secure DNA that is complete at its 5′ coding end. Such a clone is readily identified by the presence of a start codon in reading frame with the original sequence.

[0049] DNA encoding an amino acid sequence variant of the hAC6 polypeptide is prepared as described below or by a variety of methods known in the art. These methods include, but are not limited to, isolation from a natural source (in the case of naturally occurring amino acid sequence variants) or preparation by oligonucleotide-mediated (or site-directed) mutagenesis, PCR mutagenesis, and cassette mutagenesis of an earlier prepared variant or a non-variant version of hAC6.

[0050] Techniques for isolating and manipulating nucleic acids are disclosed for example by the following documents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,576, U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,576 and International Patent Publications WO94/11504 and WO93/03162. See, also, Sambrook, et al., “Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual”, 2nd Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989, and Ausubel, et al. “Current Protocols in Molecular Biology”, Vol. 2, Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1987.

[0051] The isolation, recombinant production and characterization of the hAC6 polypeptide allows for the design of assay systems using hAC6. The availability of the isolated cells providing hAC6 on their surface and the availability of the recombinant DNA encoding hAC6 which permits display and expression of the enzyme on host cell surfaces, all makes such cells available as a valuable tool for evaluating the ability of candidate pharmaceuticals, both agonists and antagonists, to affect the activity of hAC6. In this manner, the invention is related to assay systems which utilize isolated or recombinantly produced hAC6 to screen for agonist and antagonist activity of candidate drugs. This assay is especially useful in assuring that these candidate therapeutic agents have the desired effect on hAC6. Determination of these properties is essential in evaluating the specificity of drugs for other adenylyl cyclase isoforms.

[0052] The host cells are typically animal cells, most typically mammalian cells. In order to be useful in the assays, the cells must have intracellular mechanisms which permit hAC6 to be displayed on the cell surface or to be expressed as soluble fragments. The animal host cells expressing the DNA encoding the hAC6 polypeptide or a fragment thereof are then cultured to effect the expression of the encoding nucleic acids so as to either 1) produce hAC6 display on the cell surface such that the cells can then be used directly in assays for assessment of a candidate drug to bind to or otherwise affect the activity of the enzyme, or 2) produce hAC6 as soluble fragments which can then be purified and reconstituted to obtain an enzymatically active compound useful in screening assays.

[0053] There are several possible strategies to identify compounds which affect hAC6 activity. Over expression of the hAC6 cDNA can provide a means for isolation of large quantities of crude membrane preparations from a stable cell line. HEK-293 cells have been found to be particularly useful for this purpose. In this system the measurable enzyme activity would be predominantly from expression of recombinant hAC6. A highly sensitive, reproducible, high throughput screening system is desirable, with enzyme activity detected in a 96 well, scintillation proximity-type assay to measure product formation (cAMP). There are numerous screening assays that can be utilized. For example, the basal (unstimulated) activity of hAC6 can be measured as a method of detecting both agonists and antagonists of the hAC6 enzyme. In addition, stimulation of the enzyme by its most relevant physiological activator, the heterotrimeric G protein subunit, G_(αs), can be assayed using activated (GTPγS bound) recombinant bovine G_(αs) (expressed and purified from bacteria), with the expectation that additional compounds may be identified which inhibit G_(αs) stimulation of the hAC6 polypeptide. Other stimulatory agents can also be used, such as forskolin or forskolin analogs. “Hits”, i.e., compounds which affect hAC6, in any of these screens will be further evaluated in other assays to help focus on compounds which are relevant to the targeted isoform.

[0054] Another method of evaluating candidates as potential therapeutic agents typically involves a screening based approach such as a binding assay in which the candidate (such as a peptide or a small organic molecule) would be tested to measure if, or to what extent, it binds the catalytic subunit of the hAC6 enzyme. Preferably, a mammalian cell line that expresses recombinant hAC6 or plasma membrane preparations thereof, will be used in the assay. For example, a candidate antagonist competes for binding to hAC6 with either a labeled agonist or antagonist, for example labeled forskolin or a labeled forskolin analog. Varying concentrations of the candidate are supplied, along with a constant concentration of the labeled agonist or antagonist. The inhibition of binding of the labeled material can then be measured using established techniques. This measurement is then correlated to determine the amount and potency of the candidate that is bound to hAC6.

[0055] Another method of identifying compounds which affect hAC6 activity is the rational design of synthetic compounds based on nucleotide scaffolds, targeted to either of two distinct sites on the hAC6 enzyme. One of these is the active site (ATP being the substrate, cAMP being the product) and the other is the separate P site (adenine nucleoside 3′-polyphosphates reportedly demonstrating the greatest inhibitory activity, with either pure or crude enzyme preparations). As a related approach, one could attempt to design forskolin analogues which may demonstrate isoform specific effects.

[0056] In addition, using the above assays, the ability of a candidate drug to stimulate or inhibit the activity of hAC6 can be tested directly.

[0057] Once lead candidates are identified, and for purposes of demonstrating that isoform specificity may be achieved with small molecule modulators, it is desirable to develop assay systems which monitor most, and preferably all, human adenylyl cyclase isoforms. These assays may be used to evaluate either existing (e.g. forskolin analogs or P site inhibitors) or newly discovered small molecule modulators and determine structure activity relationships for different adenylyl cyclase isoforms. Such assays could also be used to evaluate either specific or selective modulators of other adenylyl targets and with use of a whole cell assay, may provide useful insights for designing bioavailability and addressing biological activity of lead candidates.

[0058] The hAC6 also has utility in assays for the diagnosis of diseases and disorders by detection, in tissue samples, of aberrant expression of the hAC6 enzyme.

[0059] Another aspect of the invention relates to hAC6 agonists that imitate the naturally occurring form of hAC6. These agonists are useful as control reagents in the above-mentioned assays to verify the workability of the assay system. In addition, agonists for hAC6 may exhibit useful effects in vivo in treating disease.

[0060] Another aspect of the invention relates to hAC6 antagonists that are modified forms of hAC6 peptides. Such antagonists bind to hAC6, and prevent enzyme-substrate interaction by blocking their binding to hAC6. Another group of compounds within the scope of the invention, are antagonists of hAC6 substrate, i.e., these are substrate inhibitors. Both these types of antagonists find utility in diminishing or mediating events based upon enzyme-substrate interaction such as cAMP production. Yet another second group of antagonists includes antibodies designed to bind specific portions of hAC6. In general, these are monoclonal antibody preparations which are highly specific for any desired region of hAC6, although polyclonal antibodies are also contemplated by this invention. The antibodies, which are explained in greater detail below, are also useful in immunoassays for the hAC6 enzyme, for example, in assessing successful expression of the gene in recombinant systems.

[0061] In both the agonists and antagonists, a preferred embodiment is that class of compounds having amino acid sequences that are encoded by the hAC6 gene. The invention also includes those compounds where one, two, three or more of said amino acid residues are replaced by one(s) which is not encoded genetically. Also included in the invention are isolated DNA molecules that encode these specific peptides.

[0062] It is believed that the extracellular domains of enzymes may play a key role in extracellular activities, for example, in enzyme regulation. Accordingly, the invention includes agonists and antagonists having amino acid sequences, in whole or in part, corresponding to the extracellular domains of hAC6, the sequences of which can be approximated from the amino acid sequence of FIG. 1 and the hydropathy analysis of FIG. 4. The invention also includes agonists and antagonists that affect the enzyme's function by binding to the N- or C-terminus or to one of the intracellular (ICD) domains of hAC6, the sequences of which can be approximated from the amino acid sequence of FIG. 1 and the hydropathy analysis.

[0063] In other adenylyl cyclases, the ICD IV and carboxy terminus regions have been shown to play a role in enzyme activity or G_(α) or forskolin interaction. See for example: Whisnant, et al., supra. Accordingly, it is expected that the amino acid sequences of the ICD IV and carboxy terminus regions of hAC6, in whole or in part, will be particularly useful in designing antibodies or peptides that can bind the enzyme and block enzyme activity or G_(αs) interaction.

[0064] As the understanding of adenylyl cyclases and factors which effect isoform activity increases, rational drug design is becoming a viable alternative in pharmaceutical research. It is believed that the two conserved intracellular domains of adenylyl cyclase (the C₁ and C₂ domains) associate to form an active enzyme. This has been demonstrated with studies that combine both expressed recombinant C₁ and C₂ domains. Both the C₁ and C₂ domains are required to reconstitute enzyme activity while either alone has no substantial activity. Forskolin plus G_(as) stimulates this system, by increasing the association of the two domains. Designing assays which monitor enzyme activity, dependent on association of two separate domains, is expected to provide greater sensitivity to antagonists since this would presumably be more easily disrupted. Other studies have demonstrated that peptides, comprised of sequences from conserved regions of the intracellular domains, act as inhibitors of detergent solubilized enzyme preparations. This invention contemplates the use of peptide walking strategies, to delimit regions of the modulator which may be responsible for its activity, leading to the design of small molecule inhibitors. Finally, knowledge of uncharacterized, physiological modulators of adenylyl cyclase, particularly those that demonstrate isoform specificity, may provide new assay systems for identifying novel AC modulators. It is expected that many of these modulators would be proteins and some may be identified while using adenylyl cyclase sequences as “bait” in a yeast two hybrid system. Alternatively one may identify proteins which coprecipitate with adenylyl cyclase upon capture with adenylyl cyclase antibodies.

[0065] The peptide agonists and antagonists of the invention are preferably about 10-100 amino acids in length, more preferably 25-75 amino acids in length. These peptides can be readily prepared using standard solid phase or solution phase peptide synthesis, as is well known in the art. In addition, the DNA encoding these peptides can be synthesized using commercially available oligonucleotide synthesis instrumentation and recombinantly produced using standard recombinant production systems. Production using solid phase peptide synthesis is required when non-gene encoded amino acids are to be included in the peptide.

[0066] Another aspect of the invention pertains to antibodies, which have both diagnostic and therapeutic uses. Antibodies are able to act as antagonists or agonists by binding specific regions of the hAC6 polypeptide. These antibodies also find utility in immunoassays that measure the presence of hAC6, for example in immunoassays that measure gene expression. In general, antibodies to adenylyl cyclases, and more importantly, those which may recognize specific isoforms of adenylyl cyclase, are a useful tool to evaluate tissue distribution and prevalence of the adenylyl cyclase protein. By identifying regions of dissimilarity between the adenylyl cyclase isoforms and the antigenic potential of these regions, either synthetic peptides or recombinant proteins to these sequences can be created for use in immunization. The resulting antibodies would then be characterized for specificity based on the unique qualities of the immunogen and reactivity with other expressed isoforms. Detection of isoform protein in various tissues can readily be monitored by Westerns blots; however, immunohistochemical analysis would also be useful. This information is useful to identify the adenylyl cyclase target of interest, providing valuable insights into useful therapeutic strategies such as targets in cardiovascular disease, asthma or obesity.

[0067] The antibodies of the present invention can be prepared by techniques that are well known in the art. The antibodies can be monoclonal or polyclonal, but are preferably monoclonal antibodies that are highly specific for hAC6 and can be raised against the whole hAC6 polypeptide or regions thereof. Antibodies are prepared by immunizing suitable mammalian hosts (typically rabbit, rat, mouse, goat, human, etc.) in appropriate immunization protocols using the peptide haptens (immunogen) alone, if they are of sufficient length, or, if desired, or if required to enhance immunogenicity, conjugated to suitable carriers. The immunogen will typically contain a portion of the hAC6 polypeptide that is intended to be targeted by the antibodies. Critical regions include those regions corresponding to the extracellular domains of the hAC6 enzyme, any region(s) of proteolytic cleavage, and any segment(s) of the extracellular segment critical for activation. Methods for preparing immunogenic conjugates with carriers such as bovine serum albumin, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, or other carrier proteins are well known in the art. In some circumstances, direct conjugation using, for example, carbodiimide reagents may be effective; in other instances linking reagents such as those supplied by Pierce Chemical Co., Rockford, Ill. may be desirable to provide accessibility to the hapten. The hapten can be extended at the amino or carboxy terminus with a cysteine residue or interspersed with cysteine residues, for example, to facilitate linking to carrier. The desired immunogen is administered to a host by injection over a suitable period of time using suitable adjuvants followed by collection of sera. Over the course of the immunization schedule, titers of antibodies are taken to determine the adequacy of antibody formation.

[0068] Polyclonal antibodies are suitable for many diagnostic and research purposes and are easily prepared. Monoclonal antibodies are often preferred for therapeutic applications and are prepared by continuous hybrid cell lines and collection of the secreted protein. Immortalized cell lines that secrete the desired monoclonal antibodies can be prepared by the method described in Kohler and Milstein, Nature 256:495-497 (1975) or modifications which effect immortalization of lymphocytes or spleen cells, as is generally known. The immortalized cell lines are then screened by immunoassay techniques in which the antigen is the immunogen or a cell expressing hAC6 on its surface. Cells that are found to secrete the desired antibody, can then be cultured in vitro or by production in the ascites fluid. The antibodies are then recovered from the culture supernatant or from the ascites supernatant.

[0069] Alternately, antibodies can be prepared by recombinant means, i.e., the cloning and expression of nucleotide sequences or mutagenized versions thereof that at a minimum code for the amino acid sequences required for specific binding of natural antibodies. Antibody regions that bind specifically to the desired regions of hAC6 can also be produced as chimeras with regions of multiple species origin.

[0070] Antibodies may include a complete immunoglobulin or a fragment thereof, and includes the various classes and isotypes such as IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, IgG3 and IgM. Fragments include Fab, Fv, F(ab′)₂, Fab′, and so forth. Fragments of the monoclonals or the polyclonal antisera which contain the immunologically significant portion can be used as antagonists, as well as the intact antibodies. Use of immunologically reactive fragments, such as the Fab, Fab′, or F(ab′)₂ fragments is often preferable, especially in a therapeutic context, as these fragments have different immunogenicity than the whole immunoglobulin, and do not carry the biological activity of an immunoglobulin constant domain.

[0071] The antibodies thus produced are useful not only as potential agonist or antagonists for the hAC6 polypeptide, filling the role of agonist or antagonist in the assays of the invention, but are also useful in immunoassays for detecting the hAC6 enzyme. As such these antibodies can be coupled to imaging agents for administration to a subject to allow detection of localized antibody to ascertain the under-or over-expression of hAC6 in tissues of interest. In addition, these reagents are useful in vitro to detect, for example, the successful production of hAC6 on the surface of the recombinant host cells.

[0072] Yet another aspect of the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds and antibodies of the invention. The agonists and antagonists of the invention have therapeutic utility in (1) treating diseases caused by aberrant activity of the hAC6 enzyme in tissues where it is customarily found, for example in the heart and brain and (2) treating diseases whose symptoms can be ameliorated by stimulating or inhibiting the activity of hAC6.

[0073] The peptide agonists and antagonists of the invention can be administered in conventional formulations for systemic administration such as is well known in the art. Typical formulations may be found, for example, in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mack Publishing Co., Easton Pa. latest edition.

[0074] Preferred forms of systemic administration include injection, typically by intravenous injection. Other injection routes, such as subcutaneous, intramuscular, or intraperitoneal, can also be used. More recently, alternative means for systemic administration of peptides have been devised which include transmucosal and transdermal administration using penetrants such as bile salts or fusidic acids or other detergents. In addition, if properly formulated in enteric or encapsulated formulations, oral administration may also be possible. Administration of these compounds may also be topical and/or localized, in the form of salves, pastes, gels and the like.

[0075] The dosage range required depends on the choice of peptide, the route of administration, the nature of the formulation, the nature of the patient's condition, and the judgment of the attending physician. Suitable dosage ranges, however, are in the range of 0.1-100 μg/kg of subject. Wide variations in the needed dosage, however, are to be expected in view of the variety of peptides available and the differing efficiencies of various routes of administration. For example, oral administration would be expected to require higher dosages than administration by intravenous injection. Variations in these dosage levels can be adjusted using standard empirical routines for optimization as is well understood in the art.

[0076] The invention also relates to the therapeutic, prophylactic and research uses of various techniques to block or modulate the expression of the hAC6 by interfering with the transcription of translation of a DNA or RNA molecule encoding the hAC6. This includes a method to inhibit or regulate expression of hAC6 in a cell comprising providing to the cell an oligonucleotide molecule which is antisense to, or forms a triple helix with, hAC6-encoding DNA or with DNA regulating expression of hAC6-encoding DNA, in an amount sufficient to inhibit or regulate expression of the hAC6, thereby inhibiting or regulating its expression. Also included is a method to inhibit or regulate expression of hAC6 in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an oligonucleotide molecule which is antisense to, or forms a triple helix with, hAC6-encoding DNA or with DNA regulating expression of hAC6-encoding DNA, in an amount sufficient to inhibit or regulate expression of hAC6 in the subject, thereby inhibiting or regulating its expression. The antisense molecule or triple helix-forming molecule in the above methods is preferably a DNA or RNA oligonucleotide. These utilities are described in greater detail below.

[0077] The constitutive expression of antisense RNA in cells has been shown to inhibit the expression of about 20 different genes in mammals and plants, and the list continually grows (Hambor, et al., J. Ex. Med. 168:1237-1245 (1988); Holt, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 83:4794-4798 (1986); Izant, et al., Cell 36:1007-1015 (1984); Izant, et al., Science 229:345-352 (1985) and De Benedetti, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 84:658-662 (1987)). Possible mechanisms for the antisense effect are the blockage of translation or prevention of splicing, both of which have been observed in vitro. Interference with splicing allows the use of intron sequences (Munroe, EMBO. J. 7:2523-2532 (1988) which should be less conserved and therefore result in greater specificity in inhibiting expression of a protein of one species but not its homologue in another species.

[0078] Therapeutic gene regulation is accomplished using the “antisense” approach, in which the function of a target gene in a cell or organism is blocked, by transfection of DNA, preferably an oligonucleotide, encoding antisense RNA which acts specifically to inhibit expression of the particular target gene. The sequence of the antisense DNA is designed to result in a full or preferably partial antisense RNA transcript which is substantially complementary to a segment of the gene or mRNA which it is intended to inhibit. The complementarity must be sufficient so that the antisense RNA can hybridize to the target gene (or mRNA) and inhibit the target gene's function, regardless of whether the action is at the level of splicing, transcription or translation. The degree of inhibition, readily discernible by one of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation, must be sufficient to inhibit, or render the cell incapable of expressing, the target gene. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the antisense RNA approach is but one of a number of known mechanisms which can be employed to block specific gene expression.

[0079] By the term “antisense” is intended an RNA sequence, as well as a DNA sequence coding therefor, which is sufficiently complementary to a particular mRNA molecule for which the antisense RNA is specific to cause molecular hybridization between the antisense RNA and the mRNA such that translation of the mRNA is inhibited. Such hybridization must occur under in vivo conditions, that is, inside the cell. The action of the antisense RNA results in specific inhibition of gene expression in the cell. See Albers, et al., “Molecular Biology Of The Cell”, 2nd Ed., Garland Publishing, Inc., New York, N.Y. (1989), in particular, pages 195-196.

[0080] The antisense RNA of the present invention may be hybridizable to any of several portions of a target mRNA, including the coding sequence, a 3′ or 5′ untranslated region, or other intronic sequences. A preferred antisense RNA is that complementary to hAC6 mRNA. As is readily discernible by one of skill in the art, the minimal amount of homology required by the present invention is that sufficient to result in hybridization to the specific target mRNA and inhibition of its translation or function while not affecting function of other mRNA molecules and the expression of other genes.

[0081] Antisense RNA is delivered to a cell by transformation or transfection with a vector into which has been placed DNA encoding the antisense RNA with the appropriate regulatory sequences, including a promoter, to result in expression of the antisense RNA in a host cell.

[0082] “Triple helix” or “triplex” approaches involve production of synthetic oligonucleotides which bind to the major groove of a duplex DNA to form a colinear triplex. Such triplex formation can regulate and inhibit cellular growth. See, for example, Hogan, et al., U.S. Pat. 5, 176,996; Cohen, et al., Sci. Amer., December 1994, p. 76-82; Helene, Anticancer Drug Design 6:569-584 (1991); Maher III, et al., Antisense Res. Devel. 1:227-281 (Fall 1991); and Crook, et al. eds., “Antisense Research and Applications”, CRC Press, 1993; all of which are incorporated herein by reference. It is based in part on the discovery that a DNA oligonucleotide can bind by triplex formation to a duplex DNA target in a gene regulatory region, thereby repressing transcription initiation (Cooney, et. al. Science 241:456 (1988)). The present invention utilizes methods such as those of Hogan et al., supra, to designing oligonucleotides which will bind tightly and specifically to a duplex DNA target comprising part of the hAC6-encoding DNA or a regulatory sequence thereof. Such triplex oligonucleotides can therefore be used as a class of drug molecules to selectively manipulate the expression of this gene.

[0083] Thus the present invention is directed to providing to a cell or administering to a subject a synthetic oligonucleotide in sufficient quantity for cellular uptake and binding to a DNA duplex of the target hAC6-coding DNA sequence or a regulatory sequence thereof, such that the oligonucleotide binds to the DNA duplex to form a colinear triplex. This method is used to inhibit expression of the hAC6 enzyme on cells in vitro or in vivo. Preferably the target sequence is positioned within the DNA domain adjacent to the RNA transcription origin. This method can also be used to inhibit growth of cells which is dependent on expression of this enzyme. The method may also be used to alter the relative amounts or proportions of the hAC6 expressed on cells or tissues by administering such a triplex-forming synthetic oligonucleotide.

[0084] The following examples are intended to illustrate but not to limit the invention.

EXAMPLE 1 Construction and Screening of a Human Heart cDNA Library

[0085] Whole human heart was used as a source of mRNA. The libraries were purchased from a commercial source, Clontech (Catalog No. HL3026a). The libraries were prepared in a lambda gt10 phage with both oligo-dT and random primers. The primary screening of the lambda gt10 library was carried out with gentle washing (less stringent conditions). Prehybridization and hybridization were carried out at standard conditions. A suitable PCR AC fragment was used as a probe.

[0086] The probe was radiolabeled with ³²P-dCTP by the random primer labeling method. After hybridization, the blot was washed under increasingly stringent conditions and then radioautographed. A positive clone was obtained.

[0087] The next step was to ascertain the full length cDNA sequence from the inserts in the clones. All the positive clones from the human heart library were subcloned into a suitable plasmid. After restriction maps were made, they were further subcloned and sequenced with universal primers or synthesized oligomers. The sequence was performed bidirectionally with Sequenase (Tabor, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:4767-4771 (1987).

[0088] Clone were either used on their own, or sequenced and then used to generate PCR primers which were used to acquire additional clones of interest, by the PCR-based RACE (“rapid amplification of cDNA ends”) technique (Frohman, M. A., Methods Enzymol. 218:340-362 (1991)) and human heart mRNA. One clone of particular interest was used as a probe to screen a separate human heart library and several more clones were obtained. Sequencing revealed an open reading frame of 3504 bases reads through to a TGA, a translation termination codon (FIG. 1). Thus, the clone(s) encode a protein of 1168 amino acids. The entire coding portion of the cDNA and its deduced amino acid sequence are shown (FIG. 1) (SEQ ID NO: 1 and 2, respectively).

[0089] One or more fragments from these clones were subcloned into pcDNA3, obtained from Invitrogen. The resulting expression vector, containing the full length cDNA, was given a designation. Samples of this expression vector, inserted into an appropriate E. coli strain designated SURE, were deposited with the American Type Culture Collection, 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852, on ______, 1997 in accordance with the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure and have been accorded accession number ATCC ______.

EXAMPLE2 Cloning and Expression of the Human Type VI adenylyl cyclase

[0090] The human type VI adenylyl cyclase was produced by cloning and expressing heart type VI adenylyl cyclase cDNA in a suitable expression system using recombinant DNA methods, such as are well known in the art.

[0091] Purified plasmid was transfected into HEK-293 cells using electroporation. The cells were grown in an appropriate growth medium then washed. After the addition of trypsin solution, the cells were incubated, harvested and resuspended in the growth media. Purified plasmid was added to an electroporation cuvette. Cells were added to the DNA and the mixture was pulsed. The cell-DNA mixture was then plated into a suitable growth media. The plate was incubated before placing cells on a suitable selective media.

[0092] hAC6, having 1168 amino acids, was analyzed for secondary structure by the method of Kyte, et al., J. Mol. Biol. 157:105-132 (1982). The software, GeneWorks; v.2.45; IntelliGenetics, Inc. ; Mountain View, Calif. was used to obtain a hydropathy plot, and thereby identify the membrane related structure of this adenylyl cyclase isoform. The method of Kyte, et al., supra, was used with a window size of 5.

[0093] Twelve peaks appear in the hydropathy plot, not shown, which represent transmembrane spanning regions. These results suggest that this adenylyl cyclase isoform has a structure of twelve transmembrane spanning regions, as well as a large cytoplasmic loop located in the middle and at the end, which is consistent with the structures of the previously characterized isoforms.

EXAMPLE 3 Evaluation of the Human Type VI adenlylyl cyclase

[0094] The biochemical characteristics of hAC9 were determined in a stable expression system using HEK-293 cells. A fragment of the adenylyl cyclase cDNA containing the whole coding sequence was inserted into a suitable plasmid.

[0095] An assay was performed to measure cAMP product formation and it was determined that the hAC6 enzyme expressed by this cDNA was active.

EXAMPLE 4 Tissue distribution of the Human Type VI adenylyl cyclase

[0096] In order to determine the tissue distribution of hAC6, Northern blotting was performed using mRNA from various tissues. Messenger RNA was purified using guanidium sodium and oligo-dT columns from various human tissues.

[0097] The blot was pre-hybridized in a suitable solution before the addition of a probe. Hybridization was performed, followed by washing under increasingly stringent conditions. The blot was then autoradiographed.

[0098] The results of the Northern blot analysis indicated that hAC6 is predominantly expressed in heart and brain tissue, although some expression was also found at slight levels in other tissues.

[0099] All references cited and mentioned above, including patents, journal articles and texts, are all incorporated by reference herein, whether expressly incorporated or not.

[0100] Having now fully described this invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the same can be performed within a wide range of equivalent parameters, concentrations, and conditions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without undue experimentation.

[0101] While this invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modifications. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth as follows in the scope of the appended claims.

1 2 1 4942 DNA human type VI adenylyl cyclase CDS (145)..(3648) 1 gcggacggcg gacggcggac ggcgggcggg acggccagga cgcgcgggct cggaggaccg 60 cgggacggcc ggccggccgg ccggagcccg cgggggcggc ggggcggggg cccagggcag 120 gcgcggagcc gggccggcag caac atg tca tgg ttt agt ggc ctc ctg gtc 171 Met Ser Trp Phe Ser Gly Leu Leu Val 1 5 cct aaa gtg gat gaa cgg aaa aca gcc tgg ggt gaa cgc aat ggg cag 219 Pro Lys Val Asp Glu Arg Lys Thr Ala Trp Gly Glu Arg Asn Gly Gln 10 15 20 25 aag cgt tcg cgg cgc cgt ggc act cgg gca ggt ggc ttc tgc acg ccc 267 Lys Arg Ser Arg Arg Arg Gly Thr Arg Ala Gly Gly Phe Cys Thr Pro 30 35 40 cgc tat atg agc tgc ctc cgg gat gca gag cca ccc agc ccc acc cct 315 Arg Tyr Met Ser Cys Leu Arg Asp Ala Glu Pro Pro Ser Pro Thr Pro 45 50 55 gcg ggc ccc cct cgg tgc ccc tgg cag gat gac gcc ttc atc cgg agg 363 Ala Gly Pro Pro Arg Cys Pro Trp Gln Asp Asp Ala Phe Ile Arg Arg 60 65 70 ggc ggc cca ggc aag ggc aag gag ctg ggg ctg cgg gca gtg gcc ctg 411 Gly Gly Pro Gly Lys Gly Lys Glu Leu Gly Leu Arg Ala Val Ala Leu 75 80 85 ggc ttc gag gat acc gag gtg aca acg aca gcg ggc ggg acg gct gag 459 Gly Phe Glu Asp Thr Glu Val Thr Thr Thr Ala Gly Gly Thr Ala Glu 90 95 100 105 gtg gcg ccc gac gcg gtg ccc agg agt ggg aga tcc tgc tgg cgc cgt 507 Val Ala Pro Asp Ala Val Pro Arg Ser Gly Arg Ser Cys Trp Arg Arg 110 115 120 ctg gtg cag gtg ttc cag tcg aag cag ttc cgt tcg gcc aag ctg gag 555 Leu Val Gln Val Phe Gln Ser Lys Gln Phe Arg Ser Ala Lys Leu Glu 125 130 135 cac ctg tac cag cgg tac ttc ttc cag atg aac cag agc agc ctg acg 603 His Leu Tyr Gln Arg Tyr Phe Phe Gln Met Asn Gln Ser Ser Leu Thr 140 145 150 ctg ctg atg gcg gtg ctg gtg ctg ctc aca gcg gtg ctg ctg gct ttc 651 Leu Leu Met Ala Val Leu Val Leu Leu Thr Ala Val Leu Leu Ala Phe 155 160 165 cac gcc gca ccc gcc cgc cct cag cct gcc tat gtg gca ctg ttg gcc 699 His Ala Ala Pro Ala Arg Pro Gln Pro Ala Tyr Val Ala Leu Leu Ala 170 175 180 185 tgt gcc gcc gcc ctg ttc gtg ggg ctc atg gtg gtg tgt aac cgg cat 747 Cys Ala Ala Ala Leu Phe Val Gly Leu Met Val Val Cys Asn Arg His 190 195 200 agc ttc cgc cag gac tcc atg tgg gtg gtg agc tac gtg gtg ctg ggc 795 Ser Phe Arg Gln Asp Ser Met Trp Val Val Ser Tyr Val Val Leu Gly 205 210 215 atc ctg gcg gca gtg cag gtc ggg ggc gct ctc gca gca gac ccg cgc 843 Ile Leu Ala Ala Val Gln Val Gly Gly Ala Leu Ala Ala Asp Pro Arg 220 225 230 agc ccc tct gcg ggc ctc tgg tgc cct gtg ttc ttt gtc tac atc gcc 891 Ser Pro Ser Ala Gly Leu Trp Cys Pro Val Phe Phe Val Tyr Ile Ala 235 240 245 tac acg ctc ctc ccc atc cgc atg cgg gct gcc gtc ctc agc ggc ctg 939 Tyr Thr Leu Leu Pro Ile Arg Met Arg Ala Ala Val Leu Ser Gly Leu 250 255 260 265 ggc ctc tcc acc ttg cat ttg atc ttg gcc tgg caa ctt aac cgt ggt 987 Gly Leu Ser Thr Leu His Leu Ile Leu Ala Trp Gln Leu Asn Arg Gly 270 275 280 gat gcc ttc ctc tgg aag cag ctc ggt gcc aat gtg ctg ctg ttc ctc 1035 Asp Ala Phe Leu Trp Lys Gln Leu Gly Ala Asn Val Leu Leu Phe Leu 285 290 295 tgc acc aac gtc att ggc atc tgc aca cac tat cca gca gag gtg tct 1083 Cys Thr Asn Val Ile Gly Ile Cys Thr His Tyr Pro Ala Glu Val Ser 300 305 310 cag cgc cag gcc ttt cag gag acc cgc ggt tac atc cag gcc cgg ctc 1131 Gln Arg Gln Ala Phe Gln Glu Thr Arg Gly Tyr Ile Gln Ala Arg Leu 315 320 325 cac ctg cag cat gag aat cgg cag cag gag cgg ctg ctg ctg tcg gta 1179 His Leu Gln His Glu Asn Arg Gln Gln Glu Arg Leu Leu Leu Ser Val 330 335 340 345 ttg ccc cag cac gtt gcc atg gag atg aaa gaa gac atc aac aca aaa 1227 Leu Pro Gln His Val Ala Met Glu Met Lys Glu Asp Ile Asn Thr Lys 350 355 360 aaa gaa gac atg atg ttc cac aag atc tac ata cag aag cat gac aat 1275 Lys Glu Asp Met Met Phe His Lys Ile Tyr Ile Gln Lys His Asp Asn 365 370 375 gtc agc atc ctg ttt gca gac att gag ggc ttc acc agc ctg gca tcc 1323 Val Ser Ile Leu Phe Ala Asp Ile Glu Gly Phe Thr Ser Leu Ala Ser 380 385 390 cag tgc act gcg cag gag ctg gtc atg acc ctg aat gag ctc ttt gcc 1371 Gln Cys Thr Ala Gln Glu Leu Val Met Thr Leu Asn Glu Leu Phe Ala 395 400 405 cgg ttt gac aag ctg gct gcg gag aat cac tgc ctg agg atc aag atc 1419 Arg Phe Asp Lys Leu Ala Ala Glu Asn His Cys Leu Arg Ile Lys Ile 410 415 420 425 ttg ggg gac tgt tac tac tgt gtg tca ggg ctg ccg gag gcc cgg gcc 1467 Leu Gly Asp Cys Tyr Tyr Cys Val Ser Gly Leu Pro Glu Ala Arg Ala 430 435 440 gac cat gcc cac tgc tgt gtg gag atg ggg gta gac atg att gag gcc 1515 Asp His Ala His Cys Cys Val Glu Met Gly Val Asp Met Ile Glu Ala 445 450 455 atc tcg ctg gta cgt gag gtg aca ggt gtg aat gtg aac atg cgc gtg 1563 Ile Ser Leu Val Arg Glu Val Thr Gly Val Asn Val Asn Met Arg Val 460 465 470 ggc atc cac agc ggg cgc gtg cac tgc ggc gtc ctt ggc ttg cgg aaa 1611 Gly Ile His Ser Gly Arg Val His Cys Gly Val Leu Gly Leu Arg Lys 475 480 485 tgg cag ttc gat gtg tgg tcc aat gat gtg acc ctg gcc aac cac atg 1659 Trp Gln Phe Asp Val Trp Ser Asn Asp Val Thr Leu Ala Asn His Met 490 495 500 505 gag gca gga ggc cgg gct ggc cgc atc cac atc act cgg gca aca ctg 1707 Glu Ala Gly Gly Arg Ala Gly Arg Ile His Ile Thr Arg Ala Thr Leu 510 515 520 cag tac ctg aac ggg gac tac gag gtg gag cca ggc cgt ggt ggc gag 1755 Gln Tyr Leu Asn Gly Asp Tyr Glu Val Glu Pro Gly Arg Gly Gly Glu 525 530 535 cgc aac gcg tac ctc aag gag cag cac att gag act ttc ctc atc ctg 1803 Arg Asn Ala Tyr Leu Lys Glu Gln His Ile Glu Thr Phe Leu Ile Leu 540 545 550 ggc gcc agc cag aaa cgg aaa gag gag aag gcc atg ctg gcc aag ctg 1851 Gly Ala Ser Gln Lys Arg Lys Glu Glu Lys Ala Met Leu Ala Lys Leu 555 560 565 cag cgg act cgg gcc aac tcc atg gaa ggg ctg atg ccg cgc tgg gtt 1899 Gln Arg Thr Arg Ala Asn Ser Met Glu Gly Leu Met Pro Arg Trp Val 570 575 580 585 cct gat cgt gcc ttc tcc cgg acc aag gac tcc aag gcc ttc cgc cag 1947 Pro Asp Arg Ala Phe Ser Arg Thr Lys Asp Ser Lys Ala Phe Arg Gln 590 595 600 atg ggc att gat gat tcc agc aaa gac aac cgg ggc acc caa gat gcc 1995 Met Gly Ile Asp Asp Ser Ser Lys Asp Asn Arg Gly Thr Gln Asp Ala 605 610 615 ctg aac cct gag gat gag gtg gat gag ttc ctg agc cgt gcc atc gat 2043 Leu Asn Pro Glu Asp Glu Val Asp Glu Phe Leu Ser Arg Ala Ile Asp 620 625 630 gcc cgc agc att gat cag ctg cgg aag gac cat gtg cgc cgg ttt ctg 2091 Ala Arg Ser Ile Asp Gln Leu Arg Lys Asp His Val Arg Arg Phe Leu 635 640 645 ctc acc ttc cag aga gag gat ctt gag aag aag tac tcc cgg aag gtg 2139 Leu Thr Phe Gln Arg Glu Asp Leu Glu Lys Lys Tyr Ser Arg Lys Val 650 655 660 665 gat ccc cgc ttc gga gcc tac gtt gcc tgt gcc ctg ttg gtc ttc tgc 2187 Asp Pro Arg Phe Gly Ala Tyr Val Ala Cys Ala Leu Leu Val Phe Cys 670 675 680 ttc atc tgc ttc atc cag ctt ctc atc ttc cca cac tcc acc ctg atg 2235 Phe Ile Cys Phe Ile Gln Leu Leu Ile Phe Pro His Ser Thr Leu Met 685 690 695 ctt ggg atc tat gcc agc atc ttc ctg ctg ctg cta atc acc gtg ctg 2283 Leu Gly Ile Tyr Ala Ser Ile Phe Leu Leu Leu Leu Ile Thr Val Leu 700 705 710 atc tgt gct gtg tac tcc tgt ggt tct ctg ttc cct aag gcc ctg caa 2331 Ile Cys Ala Val Tyr Ser Cys Gly Ser Leu Phe Pro Lys Ala Leu Gln 715 720 725 cgt ctg tcc cgc agc att gtc cgc tca cgg gca cat agc acc gca gtt 2379 Arg Leu Ser Arg Ser Ile Val Arg Ser Arg Ala His Ser Thr Ala Val 730 735 740 745 ggc atc ttt tcc gtc ctg ctt gtg ttt act tct gcc att gcc aac atg 2427 Gly Ile Phe Ser Val Leu Leu Val Phe Thr Ser Ala Ile Ala Asn Met 750 755 760 ttc acc tgt aac cac acc ccc ata cgg agc tgt gca gcc cgg atg ctg 2475 Phe Thr Cys Asn His Thr Pro Ile Arg Ser Cys Ala Ala Arg Met Leu 765 770 775 aat tta aca cct gct gac atc act gcc tgc cac ctg cag cag ctc aat 2523 Asn Leu Thr Pro Ala Asp Ile Thr Ala Cys His Leu Gln Gln Leu Asn 780 785 790 tac tct ctg ggc ctg gat gct ccc ctg tgt gag ggc acc atg ccc acc 2571 Tyr Ser Leu Gly Leu Asp Ala Pro Leu Cys Glu Gly Thr Met Pro Thr 795 800 805 tgc agc ttt cct gag tac ttc atc ggg aac atg ctg ctg agt ctc ttg 2619 Cys Ser Phe Pro Glu Tyr Phe Ile Gly Asn Met Leu Leu Ser Leu Leu 810 815 820 825 gcc agc tct gtc ttc ctg cac atc agc agc atc ggg aag ttg gcc atg 2667 Ala Ser Ser Val Phe Leu His Ile Ser Ser Ile Gly Lys Leu Ala Met 830 835 840 atc ttt gtc ttg ggg ctc atc tat ttg gtg ctg ctt ctg ctg ggt ccc 2715 Ile Phe Val Leu Gly Leu Ile Tyr Leu Val Leu Leu Leu Leu Gly Pro 845 850 855 cca gcc acc atc ttt gac aac tat gac cta ctg ctt ggc gtc cat ggc 2763 Pro Ala Thr Ile Phe Asp Asn Tyr Asp Leu Leu Leu Gly Val His Gly 860 865 870 ttg gct tct tcc aat gag acc ttt gat ggg ctg gac tgt cca gct gca 2811 Leu Ala Ser Ser Asn Glu Thr Phe Asp Gly Leu Asp Cys Pro Ala Ala 875 880 885 ggg agg gtg gcc ctc aaa tat atg acc cct gtg att ctg ctg gtg ttt 2859 Gly Arg Val Ala Leu Lys Tyr Met Thr Pro Val Ile Leu Leu Val Phe 890 895 900 905 gcg ctg gcg ctg tat ctg cat gct cag cag gtg gag tcg act gcc cgc 2907 Ala Leu Ala Leu Tyr Leu His Ala Gln Gln Val Glu Ser Thr Ala Arg 910 915 920 cta gac ttc ctc tgg aaa cta cag gca aca ggg gag aag gag gag atg 2955 Leu Asp Phe Leu Trp Lys Leu Gln Ala Thr Gly Glu Lys Glu Glu Met 925 930 935 gag gag cta cag gca tac aac cgg agg ctg ctg cat aac att ctg ccc 3003 Glu Glu Leu Gln Ala Tyr Asn Arg Arg Leu Leu His Asn Ile Leu Pro 940 945 950 aag gac gtg gcg gcc cac ttc ctg gcc cgg gag cgc cgc aat gat gaa 3051 Lys Asp Val Ala Ala His Phe Leu Ala Arg Glu Arg Arg Asn Asp Glu 955 960 965 ctc tac tat cag tcg tgt gag tgt gtg gct gtt atg ttt gcc tcc att 3099 Leu Tyr Tyr Gln Ser Cys Glu Cys Val Ala Val Met Phe Ala Ser Ile 970 975 980 985 gcc aac ttc tct gag ttc tat gtg gag ctg gag gca aac aat gag ggt 3147 Ala Asn Phe Ser Glu Phe Tyr Val Glu Leu Glu Ala Asn Asn Glu Gly 990 995 1000 gtc gag tgc ctg cgg ctg ctc aac gag atc atc gct gac ttt gat gag 3195 Val Glu Cys Leu Arg Leu Leu Asn Glu Ile Ile Ala Asp Phe Asp Glu 1005 1010 1015 att atc agc gag gag cgg ttc cgg cag ctg gaa aag atc aag acg att 3243 Ile Ile Ser Glu Glu Arg Phe Arg Gln Leu Glu Lys Ile Lys Thr Ile 1020 1025 1030 ggt agc acc tac atg gct gcc tca ggg ctg aac gcc agc acc tac gat 3291 Gly Ser Thr Tyr Met Ala Ala Ser Gly Leu Asn Ala Ser Thr Tyr Asp 1035 1040 1045 cag gtg ggc cgc tcc cac atc act gcc ctg gct gac tac gcc atg cgg 3339 Gln Val Gly Arg Ser His Ile Thr Ala Leu Ala Asp Tyr Ala Met Arg 1050 1055 1060 1065 ctc atg gag cag atg aag cac atc aat gag cac tcc ttc aac aat ttc 3387 Leu Met Glu Gln Met Lys His Ile Asn Glu His Ser Phe Asn Asn Phe 1070 1075 1080 cag atg aag att ggg ctg aac atg ggc cca gtc gtg gca ggt gtc atc 3435 Gln Met Lys Ile Gly Leu Asn Met Gly Pro Val Val Ala Gly Val Ile 1085 1090 1095 ggg gct cgg aag cca cag tat gac atc tgg ggg aac aca gtg aat gtc 3483 Gly Ala Arg Lys Pro Gln Tyr Asp Ile Trp Gly Asn Thr Val Asn Val 1100 1105 1110 tct agt cgt atg gac agc acg ggg gtc ccc gac cga atc cag gtg acc 3531 Ser Ser Arg Met Asp Ser Thr Gly Val Pro Asp Arg Ile Gln Val Thr 1115 1120 1125 acg gac ctg tac cag gtt cta gct gcc aag ggc tac cag ctg gag tgt 3579 Thr Asp Leu Tyr Gln Val Leu Ala Ala Lys Gly Tyr Gln Leu Glu Cys 1130 1135 1140 1145 cga ggg gtg gtc aag gtg aag ggc aag ggg gag atg acc acc tac ttc 3627 Arg Gly Val Val Lys Val Lys Gly Lys Gly Glu Met Thr Thr Tyr Phe 1150 1155 1160 ctc aat ggg ggc ccc agc agt taacagggcc cagccacaaa ttcagctgaa 3678 Leu Asn Gly Gly Pro Ser Ser 1165 gggaccaagg tgggcattga gtggactctg tgctcactgg gtggagctgt ggcagggggc 3738 actgagcctc cagaccctgc taaccacaaa agggaacatc ccagcaggct gtgcttggat 3798 catgctcgtc tgccctcaag ctggaaaaca aggggctacc taccgagagg attatgcaag 3858 tgactttctt tcttacttgg ggtagggctg ttccctctcc aatcttccag cctttgggag 3918 caggggaggg gtcagtagca gaagcagagg gaggcctctt gcctgaggga ttaaaatggc 3978 agcttgccat gcctaccctt ccctgtctgt ctgggcagca ggttcagggc tgagcccttc 4038 ttttccctct tttttcctgg gaatattttg tacaatattt tgtacaaaga caggcatgag 4098 gagtgcctat tccatgcttg cctttgcaat acctgcatcc ccagcactgg tcctgggcac 4158 ttccccaccc cagccaggtg tccctcctat gcacagagca gaggagggag aagctctggg 4218 gagccagctt tggccatatt tcaggagaat gtttccatgt gccaaatctt agtcccatga 4278 tctgtcccca aaggggaaca aagggacctc tgacagctta gatttagccc cagttcctgc 4338 acgctccagg gaacggggtg tctggcctca ctggtactgt gaaaaatgct cagagagcaa 4398 gcctgtgtgt ggggatgtca ggtcaggagc tggaagttca cctgcaggtg ccaaagagca 4458 ggccggccag ggctggggca gtgccagact ctgatctgag gaccccgtcg gggtccagat 4518 caggtcactc tgccccagtg ctctcttgct gtctgctgac aagggggcat ggagcatctc 4578 ttcctcttct gttgccaaat agaaaagggt cagggcatgg agaaaggtga ccctgatccc 4638 aaacctgccc tcccaagtct ctggtgttgg ggagggcccg tgtgtttgtg taactgtgtg 4698 tgcatgttgg tctttgtgtg catatctgtt ttccaggtct atgtgagtcc ttgtgctcct 4758 gctcctcagc tctccacccc aggttgcctc tctcctgtgg gcctctgtct tctgggaata 4818 aagcagggtt tcctacttca ggggatgtag agagatgccc aggttgcaca ggagtgggat 4878 ggggtgtggt agcaaaagga gggagaggag tcctttttgt gccaaatccc taagtgccgt 4938 tcgg 4942 2 1168 PRT human type VI adenylyl cyclase 2 Met Ser Trp Phe Ser Gly Leu Leu Val Pro Lys Val Asp Glu Arg Lys 1 5 10 15 Thr Ala Trp Gly Glu Arg Asn Gly Gln Lys Arg Ser Arg Arg Arg Gly 20 25 30 Thr Arg Ala Gly Gly Phe Cys Thr Pro Arg Tyr Met Ser Cys Leu Arg 35 40 45 Asp Ala Glu Pro Pro Ser Pro Thr Pro Ala Gly Pro Pro Arg Cys Pro 50 55 60 Trp Gln Asp Asp Ala Phe Ile Arg Arg Gly Gly Pro Gly Lys Gly Lys 65 70 75 80 Glu Leu Gly Leu Arg Ala Val Ala Leu Gly Phe Glu Asp Thr Glu Val 85 90 95 Thr Thr Thr Ala Gly Gly Thr Ala Glu Val Ala Pro Asp Ala Val Pro 100 105 110 Arg Ser Gly Arg Ser Cys Trp Arg Arg Leu Val Gln Val Phe Gln Ser 115 120 125 Lys Gln Phe Arg Ser Ala Lys Leu Glu His Leu Tyr Gln Arg Tyr Phe 130 135 140 Phe Gln Met Asn Gln Ser Ser Leu Thr Leu Leu Met Ala Val Leu Val 145 150 155 160 Leu Leu Thr Ala Val Leu Leu Ala Phe His Ala Ala Pro Ala Arg Pro 165 170 175 Gln Pro Ala Tyr Val Ala Leu Leu Ala Cys Ala Ala Ala Leu Phe Val 180 185 190 Gly Leu Met Val Val Cys Asn Arg His Ser Phe Arg Gln Asp Ser Met 195 200 205 Trp Val Val Ser Tyr Val Val Leu Gly Ile Leu Ala Ala Val Gln Val 210 215 220 Gly Gly Ala Leu Ala Ala Asp Pro Arg Ser Pro Ser Ala Gly Leu Trp 225 230 235 240 Cys Pro Val Phe Phe Val Tyr Ile Ala Tyr Thr Leu Leu Pro Ile Arg 245 250 255 Met Arg Ala Ala Val Leu Ser Gly Leu Gly Leu Ser Thr Leu His Leu 260 265 270 Ile Leu Ala Trp Gln Leu Asn Arg Gly Asp Ala Phe Leu Trp Lys Gln 275 280 285 Leu Gly Ala Asn Val Leu Leu Phe Leu Cys Thr Asn Val Ile Gly Ile 290 295 300 Cys Thr His Tyr Pro Ala Glu Val Ser Gln Arg Gln Ala Phe Gln Glu 305 310 315 320 Thr Arg Gly Tyr Ile Gln Ala Arg Leu His Leu Gln His Glu Asn Arg 325 330 335 Gln Gln Glu Arg Leu Leu Leu Ser Val Leu Pro Gln His Val Ala Met 340 345 350 Glu Met Lys Glu Asp Ile Asn Thr Lys Lys Glu Asp Met Met Phe His 355 360 365 Lys Ile Tyr Ile Gln Lys His Asp Asn Val Ser Ile Leu Phe Ala Asp 370 375 380 Ile Glu Gly Phe Thr Ser Leu Ala Ser Gln Cys Thr Ala Gln Glu Leu 385 390 395 400 Val Met Thr Leu Asn Glu Leu Phe Ala Arg Phe Asp Lys Leu Ala Ala 405 410 415 Glu Asn His Cys Leu Arg Ile Lys Ile Leu Gly Asp Cys Tyr Tyr Cys 420 425 430 Val Ser Gly Leu Pro Glu Ala Arg Ala Asp His Ala His Cys Cys Val 435 440 445 Glu Met Gly Val Asp Met Ile Glu Ala Ile Ser Leu Val Arg Glu Val 450 455 460 Thr Gly Val Asn Val Asn Met Arg Val Gly Ile His Ser Gly Arg Val 465 470 475 480 His Cys Gly Val Leu Gly Leu Arg Lys Trp Gln Phe Asp Val Trp Ser 485 490 495 Asn Asp Val Thr Leu Ala Asn His Met Glu Ala Gly Gly Arg Ala Gly 500 505 510 Arg Ile His Ile Thr Arg Ala Thr Leu Gln Tyr Leu Asn Gly Asp Tyr 515 520 525 Glu Val Glu Pro Gly Arg Gly Gly Glu Arg Asn Ala Tyr Leu Lys Glu 530 535 540 Gln His Ile Glu Thr Phe Leu Ile Leu Gly Ala Ser Gln Lys Arg Lys 545 550 555 560 Glu Glu Lys Ala Met Leu Ala Lys Leu Gln Arg Thr Arg Ala Asn Ser 565 570 575 Met Glu Gly Leu Met Pro Arg Trp Val Pro Asp Arg Ala Phe Ser Arg 580 585 590 Thr Lys Asp Ser Lys Ala Phe Arg Gln Met Gly Ile Asp Asp Ser Ser 595 600 605 Lys Asp Asn Arg Gly Thr Gln Asp Ala Leu Asn Pro Glu Asp Glu Val 610 615 620 Asp Glu Phe Leu Ser Arg Ala Ile Asp Ala Arg Ser Ile Asp Gln Leu 625 630 635 640 Arg Lys Asp His Val Arg Arg Phe Leu Leu Thr Phe Gln Arg Glu Asp 645 650 655 Leu Glu Lys Lys Tyr Ser Arg Lys Val Asp Pro Arg Phe Gly Ala Tyr 660 665 670 Val Ala Cys Ala Leu Leu Val Phe Cys Phe Ile Cys Phe Ile Gln Leu 675 680 685 Leu Ile Phe Pro His Ser Thr Leu Met Leu Gly Ile Tyr Ala Ser Ile 690 695 700 Phe Leu Leu Leu Leu Ile Thr Val Leu Ile Cys Ala Val Tyr Ser Cys 705 710 715 720 Gly Ser Leu Phe Pro Lys Ala Leu Gln Arg Leu Ser Arg Ser Ile Val 725 730 735 Arg Ser Arg Ala His Ser Thr Ala Val Gly Ile Phe Ser Val Leu Leu 740 745 750 Val Phe Thr Ser Ala Ile Ala Asn Met Phe Thr Cys Asn His Thr Pro 755 760 765 Ile Arg Ser Cys Ala Ala Arg Met Leu Asn Leu Thr Pro Ala Asp Ile 770 775 780 Thr Ala Cys His Leu Gln Gln Leu Asn Tyr Ser Leu Gly Leu Asp Ala 785 790 795 800 Pro Leu Cys Glu Gly Thr Met Pro Thr Cys Ser Phe Pro Glu Tyr Phe 805 810 815 Ile Gly Asn Met Leu Leu Ser Leu Leu Ala Ser Ser Val Phe Leu His 820 825 830 Ile Ser Ser Ile Gly Lys Leu Ala Met Ile Phe Val Leu Gly Leu Ile 835 840 845 Tyr Leu Val Leu Leu Leu Leu Gly Pro Pro Ala Thr Ile Phe Asp Asn 850 855 860 Tyr Asp Leu Leu Leu Gly Val His Gly Leu Ala Ser Ser Asn Glu Thr 865 870 875 880 Phe Asp Gly Leu Asp Cys Pro Ala Ala Gly Arg Val Ala Leu Lys Tyr 885 890 895 Met Thr Pro Val Ile Leu Leu Val Phe Ala Leu Ala Leu Tyr Leu His 900 905 910 Ala Gln Gln Val Glu Ser Thr Ala Arg Leu Asp Phe Leu Trp Lys Leu 915 920 925 Gln Ala Thr Gly Glu Lys Glu Glu Met Glu Glu Leu Gln Ala Tyr Asn 930 935 940 Arg Arg Leu Leu His Asn Ile Leu Pro Lys Asp Val Ala Ala His Phe 945 950 955 960 Leu Ala Arg Glu Arg Arg Asn Asp Glu Leu Tyr Tyr Gln Ser Cys Glu 965 970 975 Cys Val Ala Val Met Phe Ala Ser Ile Ala Asn Phe Ser Glu Phe Tyr 980 985 990 Val Glu Leu Glu Ala Asn Asn Glu Gly Val Glu Cys Leu Arg Leu Leu 995 1000 1005 Asn Glu Ile Ile Ala Asp Phe Asp Glu Ile Ile Ser Glu Glu Arg Phe 1010 1015 1020 Arg Gln Leu Glu Lys Ile Lys Thr Ile Gly Ser Thr Tyr Met Ala Ala 1025 1030 1035 1040 Ser Gly Leu Asn Ala Ser Thr Tyr Asp Gln Val Gly Arg Ser His Ile 1045 1050 1055 Thr Ala Leu Ala Asp Tyr Ala Met Arg Leu Met Glu Gln Met Lys His 1060 1065 1070 Ile Asn Glu His Ser Phe Asn Asn Phe Gln Met Lys Ile Gly Leu Asn 1075 1080 1085 Met Gly Pro Val Val Ala Gly Val Ile Gly Ala Arg Lys Pro Gln Tyr 1090 1095 1100 Asp Ile Trp Gly Asn Thr Val Asn Val Ser Ser Arg Met Asp Ser Thr 1105 1110 1115 1120 Gly Val Pro Asp Arg Ile Gln Val Thr Thr Asp Leu Tyr Gln Val Leu 1125 1130 1135 Ala Ala Lys Gly Tyr Gln Leu Glu Cys Arg Gly Val Val Lys Val Lys 1140 1145 1150 Gly Lys Gly Glu Met Thr Thr Tyr Phe Leu Asn Gly Gly Pro Ser Ser 1155 1160 1165 

What is claimed is:
 1. An isolated and purified human type VI adenylyl cyclase polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 2).
 2. An isolated and purified nucleic acid encoding for human type VI adenylyl cyclase.
 3. An isolated and purified nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1), which encodes a biologically active human type VI adenylyl cyclase.
 4. The nucleic acid of claim 3, which encodes a biologically active soluble human type VI adenylyl cyclase peptide fragment.
 5. A method of producing human type VI adenylyl cyclase which comprises incorporating the nucleic acid of claim 2 into an expression vector, transforming a host cell with said vector and culturing the transformed host cell under conditions which result in expression of the gene.
 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the host cell comprises a bacterial, viral, yeast, insect or mammalian cell line.
 7. The method of claim 6 wherein said host cells are HEK-293 cells. 